sony xperia xz premium

japan is back with a bang: A smartphone with a big heart and an out-of-this-world amount of screen tech stuffed inside

Sony’s latest smartphone is a bit of a shock – many thought that 4K screens on phones were dead, such was the lack of purpose of this tech on the Xperia Z5 Premium, but it’s back… and it’s rather impressive.

The Xperia XZ Premium has all the parts needed to create a world-beating phone: the latest Snapdragon 835 chipset, a big 5.5-inch 4K display with HDR, Android 7.1.1 and eminently practical water resistance.

Combine these with the best tech from Sony’s camera, TV and audio departments and you can really make the most of that potent screen.

The XZ Premium tiptoes into phablet territory, but by modern smartphone standards it’s relatively compact, and easy to hold in one hand. Design-wise the XZ Premium’s mirrored finish is a shine-fest, especially in the chrome colour, unsurprisingly.

As is the way of phones in 2017, the connector on the bottom of the phone is USB Type-C, but thankfully there’s an audio jack on the top, so you’ll still be able to make use of your wired headphones.

The standout feature in the XZ Premium is the 4K screen, complete with HDR, making it one of the most advanced on any phone. The sharpness, colour and clarity of the screen is eye-popping, and thanks to an Amazon partnership you can stream 4K HDR content right from Prime Video.

design

Constructed of Corning Glass front and rear, the Sony Xperia XZ Premium is not only super tough, it’s super reflective – mirroring its surroundings. Its edges are diamond cut, giving it a high- end, expensive feel. Of course, the XZ Premium wouldn’t be very premium if it didn’t come with great waterproofing, and it does – IP65/68 certification means this handset is resistant to water and dust.

battery

The XZ Premium’s 3230mAh battery isn’t especially big given the power-sapping nature of its screen, but there’s built-in battery management in the form of Smart Stamina, which intelligently monitors real-world useage and adjusts powersaving levels accordingly – a day’s battery life is promised. You get USB- C fast- charging too, meaning you can quickly recoup spent juice.

screen

The headlining feature of the XZ Premium is the 5.5-inch 4K HDR screen – a world first on any phone. HDR makes everything look better, with richer colours and greater contrast; images will look more realistic than ever.

camera

With Sony being an expert in photography hardware, you’d expect some form of class-leading camera to be found within the XZ Premium, and that’s exactly what you get – a 19MP Exmor RS sensor with Motion Eye, built using tech from its interchangeablelens and Cyber-shot cameras. There’s a frankly ridiculous 960FPS slow-motion feature, for capturing dramatic videos, while Predictive Capture ensures you always get the right shot, even if you’re not quite on the ball in high-speed photography situations.

On the back, Sony has chosen to dial back the pixel count of its camera from its previous 23MP silliness, down to 19MP; packed in a larger sensor for more light, and improved its Motion Eye feature, which now processes images five times faster and captures pictures before you even press the shutter.

New Sony phones ooze potential – with so many capable components making up the phone – but previous attempts at a superphone have been lacking. However, the XZ Premium looks to be a solid handset underneath the glitzy headline features. We hope the price is right to take on the Galaxy S8, though.